Keeping clean and organized is not that hard. You just have to have the right philosophies. No real back-bending works, just discipline. The real challenge is in making this discipline a habit once you get the philosophies.

1. Everything has a home

Even things as small as paperclips and hair pins. Design a home for every single thing you own. Or at least set an area to put them. For example, to organize a kitchen, set some rules: paper cups in the cabinet, forks and spoons in the drawers, left-over food in the lard not left on dining table.

After designing the rule and experimenting with the effectiveness, stick to it. Change only when you want to improvise, not simply because you’re too lazy to move things.

Anything that can be done in 30 seconds, do it now. I call this the effective procrastination. Every time I’m deciding whether to do something now or later, I estimate the time taken to do it. Most of the time, we tend to over-estimate the clearing job. Delaying 30 seconds to clear a space is worth your energy. Because when you come back to that space after that, seeing it clean will give a sense of being in control and calmness, especially at home where we’re suppose to feel at home.

Examples of 30-second errands that are always procrastinated include washing a set of dish for one person, making space on computer table before leaving it, folding three pieces of clothes instead of dumping them on the bed, putting some books back at their shelf instead of leaving them on the coffee table.

3. Guests-Friendly environment

Set in mind that your house is guests-friendly. Keep it as if you’re about to receive guests anytime. You yourself will feel welcomed in your own house. Clear the hallway so guests enter with ease and good first impression. Organize the kitchen so tea can be prepared swiftly for guests. Keep coffee table clean so guests can be comfortably seated in the main area. These places can be your Zen places in the house, too.

Source: Klik Rumah Anda dot com

These are simple ways I keep my place tidy. It’s not much, but it is the simplest thing that is always overlooked. To me, a tidy home signifies a healthy mind.